South Florida National Parks Trust

Education

Thousands of school children explore the wonders of South Florida’s national parks each year while participating in environmental education programs that turn these parks into outdoor classrooms. The students search for fish and insects in a cypress swamp. They track the flow of water through the Everglades. They learn to identify native plants and animals, explore an underwater reef and camp out under the stars.

With more than 30 years of demonstrated success, these programs introduce students from across South Florida to the natural world during field trips and camping programs in the region’s national parks. Best of all, the programs are offered free of charge to local schools.

The South Florida National Parks Trust provides critical funding for education programs in Everglades, Biscayne and Dry Tortugas National Parks and Big Cypress National Preserve.

  • The Trust has provided more than $600,000 in direct support for education programs in these parks since 2004. More than 10,000 students benefit from these programs each school year.
  • The Trust also provides critical support for the Junior Ranger program in South Florida’s national parks. The parks have produced new editions of the award-winning Junior Ranger guide for children in English, Spanish and Haitian-Creole with support from the Trust.

The Trust is working to ensure that more people – especially children – have an opportunity to visit South Florida’s national parks and learn about the resources they protect.

Education programs represent a key component of the Trust’s outreach strategy in South Florida.